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Race's and Cultures Of Thea
Races Humans Humans exist within all facets of life on Thea, They are by far the dominant and most numerous species and all the core cultures of Thea revolve around the humans that formed them humans. In Thea the Native Humans are Rathkan, Landoran, Isrii and Helenican but while the most humans in Rathka for example are indeed Rathkan, humans travell spread and move a lot. So you may still find Rathkan humans in Isrii as well as Tao Shenii, Suttican and Northerners in Thea. Elves Thean elves live in a human world and therefore often seem distant, cold and pragmatic. While elves can easily adjust into the roles within the culture but rarely get to close to their human contemporaries. This often leads to them seeming illusive and mysterious. Elves varys massively and since all Elves have spread from Shide so All over you will find, High elves, Wood Elves, Sun Elves and Sea elves. Dwarves Thean Dwarves, like most Dwarves, are stubborn in regards to culture. The vast majority of Dwarves live in Dwarvern Homes. These Homes are carved into mountains with great halls of carved stone and great forges of molten iron. However some Dwarves want to remove themselves from the rigid cast system and honor based society of the Homes. In Thea these Dwarves tend to fall into a variety of societies inlcuding Hill dwarf societies and City Dwarves. Hill Dwarfs essentially form Farming communities on land humans don't have the skill or patience to tend while city Dwarves integrate into human society often forming areas in cities like Applegate in New Moon Cove. Some Dwarves form no communities at all and many Dwarves tend towards trading and adventuring. Halflings Halflings are by far the most integrated of the races finding them with in all areas and joining in with all aspects of life in Thea. Where Halflings gather alone they are focused on comfort and pleasure. But many do not wish for this until their old age and certainly younger Halflings are common adventurers in the world looking to experience life in as many ways as possible before eventually settling down into a community. There integration is likely helped by their size where humans cannot see them as threatening in the way they may see other races and their natural charm and bouncy demeanor certainly help in terms of fitting into human society. Gnomes Gnomes are to Elves what Halflings are to humans and much like their taller cousins carry an air of mystery with them. While less aloof than Elves, Gnomes are known to often be reserved around humans, however this can usually be overcome by engaging Gnomes in things that interest them. Thean Gnomes and Elves are not native and come from the same place, Shide. Due to this they are often seen in the same communities, particularly first generation travelers. The more established groups of both are often seen as more Thean than Shide and these groups tend to separate into Thean society. Goblins Goblins make up the vast majority of the underclass in Thea. Unless attached to the High-Military, Goblins often fall by the wayside, living in shanty towns or worse. It is this life of hardship and discrimination that leads many to become bandits, marauders and raiders. Goblins in the High army also have the worst deal of the Three Goblinoids. Often bullied by their Bugbear commanders and Ignored by their Hobgoblin masters only the most powerful of goblins gets noticed while the rest are often used as fodder. Several variations of Goblins are found in Thea. Common goblins, or sometimes called green goblins (even though their colouration varies) are often mistaken to be linked with common orcs. This isn't the case however these goblins are often dimwitted and pathetic. They often don't even learn common and generally act as foot soldiers for more powerful goblinoids and even sometimes for humanoids in gangs or bandit parties. Flatheads bearing the rounded flat faces their namesake describes are smarter the their common bretherin, Known to be tricksters these Goblins bear an ancestral hatred of gnomes. Blue goblins are particularly clever goblins and are prized by wizards as assistants for both their natural talent with magic and general obedience. Red goblins are extremely rare but not unheard of. Belonging to cults to Spinica Some orcs and goblins undergo a ritual to turn their skin red and hunt Spinicas Teka to prove to Spinica that they are powerful enough to become servants to the god. Bugbears Bugbears are the big brutes of the goblinoids. They provide power and strength and not an enormous amount else to the High-Military. When not enlisted they are often found in as bandits and sometimes either hired or adopted into Orc bands. They are not as reviled in the streets of cities like goblins are a lot due to the relative obscurity of their race. Many do not know what a bugbear is and therefore treat them with caution but not open aggression. Hobgoblins Hobgoblins make up the core of the High military and the goblinoids as a whole defer to them in times of need or crisis. Holding a single city in The Ladoran Commonwealth the hobgoblins use this as a base of operations for their entire species. However many do leave and often become Warchiefs of their own tribes away from the High-Militaries betrayal hunters. Orcs Orcs are known as monsters. While not in itself true you would find it tough to find someone who would counter that. Treated often with suspicion and mistrust in cities in Thea Orcs that refuse the tribal way of life often work the docks as shifters or bouncers for some of the worst bars on the continent. Isrii is the most accepting place for Orcs and many do move their but vast numbers inhabit the other territories as well and it is difficult to see them ever outgrowing their titles as raider and killers all though some are trying. Orcs Thea are divided into several types all of which are generally viewed differently and treated as such. Common, Mountain or Green orcs (Even though not all of them are green) are by far the most common and the most looked down on. Often found in street gangs or hired as common thugs Common orcs live at the bottom of society usually looking for the next job. Tribes of these orcs make the wilderness their home and pillage and raid to make their way. This is the tribal way Orcs must adhere to and those that do not are looked down upon even amoung other orcs. Grey or sometimes called City orcs are generally treated better in cities but are still treated with large amounts of suspicion. Losing some strength and gaining some intelligence Grey Orcs find it easier to integrate within society and have long since abandoned the tribal way. Orogs or to some known as Great Orcs are Orcs taken to the extreme, Larger, Stronger, Smarter The orogs bring fear into the hearts of any they encounter. Red orcs as mentioned above behave in the same manner as red goblins. Half-Orcs Half Orcs in Thea are not treated with the same open aggression many orcs face but are generally advised to almost pretend their lineage is not a thing. For some this is possible as Half Orcs vary massivley, Some resembling humans a lot more than others. If one should embrace his orcish side then they are usually shunned. It is not uncommon for Half-Orcs to be taken in by orc tribes as long as they follow the tribal way. In human families half orcs are only ever really harmed in nobility and high born families where having a half orc family member is consider a great scandal and shame is poured upon the family. Half orcs can be made of any mix of human and Orc but it is most common among humans and Grey Orcs. These half orcs tend to have a much more skin like colouration while those who come from Mountain orcs often carry the colouration of their parent. Half-Elves Half Elves do not bring the same shame upon high born families as a half orc, in fact almost the opposite as Half-elves tend to be beautiful this often bring the family into higher esteem, unless some other scandal such as infidelity are involved. Half elves in every other way are generally treated as humans. Elves on the other hand will take them in but do not consider them as kin. Most elves see them as lesser elves and will treat them as such. Dragonborn Dragonborn are rare in Thea although not rare enough that they are never seen. Most will know what a Dragonborn is but just not much about them or their culture. Dragonborn are related in magical terms to dragons where it is thought that they were made from dragonblood. But alot about Dragonborn still reamins a mystery to even the highest scholars. Teiflings Teiflings are reviled by many parts of Thean society as there infernal heritage is not just known but commonly preached against by priests in the streets. This leads to many parts of Thea treating with either disdain or open hostility.This is particularly true of the Vistani who when no one else would stood proud, gathered the common people and with an army of peasants and farmers fought against a band of powerful Tieflings and their demon spawn and succeeded saving Thea from being overrun. However many died in this battle and it opened a wound between the Vistani and even the innocent Tieflings who were not part of this band. Because of this most Teiflings join the underbelly of society. Tabaxi Tabaxi are the cat men of the deserts of Isriia. Nomadic and generally preferring the desert they are one of the rarest races in Northern Thea but considerable more common in the south. Loxodon Again from Isrii The Loxodon hold significant power within the Court of the Isrii Shah. The Elephant men are masters of trade and Negotiation and have used this to broker power within Isrii. Holding control over a city and defering only to the Shah, At least in public. Minotaur One of the races native to the Isles of Helen the minotaur have largely fled due to the Helenican people hunting them, Leaving there larger more monsterous cousins the Minotara behind to stop the Helenican people chasing them. Centaur Much like the minotaur the centaur have left the Isles of Helen but not because they are hunted but more to discover new lands. Cultures Human Cultures Landoran Landorans are residents of The Landoran commonwealth Located in Northern Thea. Politics A collection of city states ruled by a council of Kings. It is a land of high politics where issues of the state are often weighed against issues of the Commonwealth. It is by far the largest state in Thea Encompassing hundreds of Cities of varying power. Is also the Youngest Country having been an Empire that erupted into Civil war which ended only 40 ago years. The Civil war lead to collapse of the Empire and this lead to everywhere declaring their independence and regrouping. A powerful leader, and the current Viceroy of the commonwealth named Rowan Silverstring organised a ceasefire and fostered good intentions between the kingdoms. He formed the council of Kings and has acted as an elected leader since. Since its inception the council of kings has banned slavery, fostered peace between the commonwealth and other nations as well as put effort into fighting piracy, smuggling and banditry across its lands. People The Landoran commonwealth thanks to its size, safety and its egalitarian and accepting populace is by far the most cosmopolitan country in Thea. Because of this, its common to see humans from all over as well as a multitude of the other Thean races. The Native human populace typically have light coloured hair (White to light brown and some red) and blue or green eyes. Military Military in the commonwealth in complex. There is both a state run army that all states must contribute to and each city state is allowed to maintain its own standing army as well. Many do not but certainly the more powerful cities do. The state army is adorned in blue and answers directly to the council of kings. Individual city armies normally answer to the king of that city Rathkan Rathkans come from the country of Rathka located in North Eastern Thea. Politics Rathka is ruled by a monarch. The current king, Maficae III, maintains control over all 5 of the North arrow cities, The smaller cities and the surrounding countryside by appointing Lords to manage them The four lesser of the North arrow cities have 4 lords each who run them and the capital has eight. These Lords often appoint councils within their cities to deal with the area they are responsible for. The king also calls court regularly and operates both a high and low court where the high court members are usually very powerful families and the low court often contains some of the lower nobility and even wealthy members of the community. It is well known the certainly members of the high court operate with their own interests in mind often trying to sway society in the ways that benefit them. People Similar to the Landoran commonwealth Rathka operates as a relatively egalitarian and cosmopolitan country although maybe not as much. It is still common to see other humans from all over Thea but less so from further afield, Many races make their home in Rathka however and it is by no means a nasty place to live. The native humans of Rathka tend to have pale skin and black or dark hair. Military The Rathkan military is known as one of the most powerful in Thea. Draped in Scarlet the military consists mostly of humans but does not oppose other races from joining. The different division often answer to High Lords, (One of the highest ranking nobility ranks) and some division even answer directly to the king. Vistani Vistani are not a culture held down by location. As nomads they move from place to place usually as markets or circuses making both legitimate and illegitimate money. The Vistani are known as masters of business and trade as well as expert thieves. Most Vistani clans allow outsiders to join but leadership is usually restricted to pure Vistani blood. Politics The Vistani are divided into many many clans. These clans run themselves for the most part and are expected by law to either flourish or fail. No aid is given to clans struggling and clans that are must usually merge with a stronger clan or broker an appropriate deal. There are three current central clans that hold much of the power within the Vistani in the North of Thea. The Amhat clan, Lead by the mysterious rarely seen Grandmother Black. The Amhat clan is a matriarchal meritocracy that works with forces many would avoid. The Disaridan Clan, Once banished this clan is hated by many within the Vistani but also loved by many more.The Disaridan were banished for allowing Teiflings into their ranks but their current leader, who is well liked by many and heralded by his clan as the next king managed to get them reinstated after conversing with King Daern. The final clan and the one known to most people is the Vistar. The Vistar are the oldest of the Vistani clans and hold by far the most power as all official roles within the Vistani are held by their members. Led by king Daern although in his advanced age it is thought that maybe he rules less and less every year. In the South of Thea some Vistani clans operate around Isriia which is the ancestral home of the Vistani. These Vistani are usually more conservative as to who may join their clans and while they obey the laws all Vistani must follow they rarely show kinship or offer aid to Northern Vistani clans. The Peoples King There is however an overall leader of the Vistani and while often refered to as a King his official title is 1st Master Daern. King Daern as he is commonly known as the Vistani hero who lead the "Peoples" army 300 years ago against a force of Deamons risen by an order of Tieflings to conquer Rathka and eventually all of Thea. Offered no respite or shelter from the local kingdoms who held up in their castles and left their people and the Vistani to die, Daern rallied the common folk and under a Vistani banner and fought against the Demons defeating the main force. However it is not known what happened to the Teiflings and the one of the few left alive who would know rarely speaks of this time. It is because of this that the Vistani carry the weight that they do having been shunned by kingdoms before they are now tolerated and even welcomed to camp outside some cities, towns and villages for the debt owed them by the common people and many village in Rathka still fly old Vistani banners to show their allegiance.However fear runs through the Vistani as the Kings long life draws to an end and many are aware that the current powers that rule Thea grow tired of giving allowances to the Vistani. There are many rumors as to why Daern have been able to live such a long life but the most common belief is that he possesses giants blood as even at the age he is now he stands over 9 feet tall and some say in his prime hes stood even a foot taller than that. People Those of pure Vistani blood make up about 50% of the Vistani as a whole. The remaining amount tend to be filled with those who join and this differs wildly from clan to clan. Isrii The Isriian People occupy the country of Isriia in the south east of Thea. Politics Isriia is essentially run by several warlords who are constantly warring for power over the capital city. These warlords give up their names and take on the titles bestowed to the rulers of certain areas. Currently the Grand Jewel (Which is the common name for the capital city is held by the warlord named The Shah. The big rivals to the Shah currently are The Sultan, The Imam, The Sheikh and The Emir. Politics is tricky in Isriia as everyone is your friend and also no one is. But in essence whenever a new warlord takes over the the Grand Jewel they become the target of all the others. Currently the Shah is a clever man using little of his military might to hold power and instead sewing rumors and dissent with the ranks of the other Warlords to keep himself at the top. However, Alliances are common and he may face danger if he refuse to share any power with the others. The Large ones Within Isriia there is a city held by a host of Loxodon. The Loxodon are wise and powerful within Isriia acting as information brokers, Mercenaries and mediators in the squabbles of the warlords. Some within their ranks are known as great sages and many common Isrii people trvel to their city to seek their services for issues requiring advice or knowledge. Military There is no centralised military structure within Isriia however they do not seem to need one. It has been known in the past that during invasions the warlords have banded together to combine their own forces and they still once a year engage in a ceremony where they swear to do this should Isriia be invaded. The likelihood of invasion is low however. Isriia holds products of luxury and nessessity to other kingdoms and just the chance of thiose items being cut off makes Isriia a country not many would invade. As well as this the desert landscape and intense heat will bring any serious host to its knees before an arrow can even be fired. People The Isrii people vary depending on the warlord they live under. Those under the Shah are flourishing and their city shows this. Those under the Imam are the opposite as an unsuccessful warlord who has never held the Grand Jewel the Imams city is fraught with crime and poverty. While other races do come very few are permanent resident of Isrii instead coming for business most of them residing in the Grand Jewel for some time before returning. Those that do live here permanently rarely move away from the Grand Jewel and the ceasefire law that exists there makes it the safest city. The human culture that exists there is in whole conservative. The Tabaxi that exits in all regions of Isrii are looked at as guides in the dessert but thieves in the cities. The final group of people are the nomads who do not live in the cities under a warlord but instead make the desert their home. It is thought that these nomads are the ancestral brothers of the Vistani all though no proof remains to confirm this. Helenican The Helenican people inhabit and travel between the Isles of Helen. Politics There are no rulers of the Ilses of Helen. The Helenican people believe in freedom. The Ilses are to dangerous to be fighting each-other and not share what you have. You don't need leaders when every day is a game of survival. Military There is no Helenican army or military. only heroes who (too the Helenican people at least) dwarf those of the mainland. These heroes spend their days saving people, slaying monsters and gaining the approval of the gods and the most exalted of these become demi-gods. Living Demi-gods are the Helenican people who rank above any others and if a war was to be fought it would be these who lead the people. Those who are dead are worshipped. Becoming a demi-god To rise to the highest in Helenican society is hard. You must prove yourself to have three things. The first is the favour of the gods and this is decided by the Philosopher priests that wander the island recording the deeds of those who would be heroes. The second is you must prove yourself to the people and become the subgect of their affection. The third is to defeat one who was thought of as greater. When it is decided that you are ready you are allowed to challenge a current demi-god and must impress them enough or in very rare cases defeat them to prove your worth. You will finally be given a true challenge to defeat and present the strongest example of a monster that represents you. People The vast majority of Helenican people are just simple farmers who maintain the food for the island and build small towns to do so. But those who take the route to heroism live much harder lives. Dwarvish Cultures There are an enormous amount of Dwarvern cultures as every Dwarvern "Home" hold its own culture. This section touches on some of the most prominent in Thea but not all and none from other continents. While the Thean Dwarvern cultures vary there are a lot of similarities from culture to culture. For example most Dwarvern homes have a king and similar caste systems based on job of the individual. These come from the unifiying force that permeates all Thean Dwarves which is the influence of the lorekeepers. All (Official) Dwarvern "Homes" must obey the directives of the Lorekeepers. Homes are often made of several individual "Halls" each of which will be run by a different King and the homes are connected by tunnels. The Lorekeepers The LoreKeepers and Becoming one The Lorekeepers manage the societal laws Dwarvern homes must enact. The reason the homes agree to this is the lorekeeprs like their name suggest hold many old dwarvern secrets that can be used in times of need. One of the most common things they do is guard legendary dwarvern artifacts to be used in moments of needs. Their magic is older than most contemporay magicians are aware of and relies on their gods to bless them. Any dwarf from any official home can join but this does not mean they will be accepted only those who show aptitude for their magic are in the end accepted because no Lorekeeper can carry a weapon. As well as this the dwarf must be prepared for a lot of travel and nomadic living. Loerkeepers policies The Lorekeepers policies are conservative and patriarchal. Most homes can run themselves as long as they never install a female rulers and their caste system places men above women. In practice many homes ignore this and perform it in name only but not all. Female dwarves cannot be lorekeepers. These policies have lead to some rebellion within some dwarvern communities. Some of these have even split off and either joined the outside world (This is commonly the case with Hill dwarves) and some have even form what the Lorekeepers call Broken home which are unnofficial homes not offered the services of the Lorekeepers. Hardhome Dwarves Hardhome runs under the Northern Rathkan mountains and is made up of many halls however one of its most important is the Hall of Eka which contains the Eka pass through the mountains which is one of the fasted routes to Landora from Rathka. Hearthhome Dwarves Blazehome Dwarves Forgehome Dwarves Ironhome Dwarves Unofficial Homes There are many many unofficial homes many of them small communities of dwarves who want to live outside the rule of the Lorekeepers. However one in particular stands above the others in open defiance of the Lorekeepers, naming their Land as Fairhome and ruled by a Queen and completely abolishing the caste system. Goblinoid High-Military Bachan The Bachan culture is violent and unforgiving. The Bachan wastes are inhabited by those looking not be found, require little to survive and often are truly desperate. Bachans believe openly in survival of the fittest and you kill it you keep it. The wasteland has several names but the most notable is the dark playground. Large proportions of the wastes are stalked by monsters and worse, large numbers of witches and hags choose to inhabit the wastes so that they may be left alone to their schemes. People While not a human-centrist culture humans make up the second largest group in the Bachan wastes other than the Goblinoids who inhabit Baraad Opah. Bachan people share no kinship with each other but they do at least hold a level of respect for other Bachans that they do not hold for outsiders. They often see outsiders as weak and hold the belief that even the weakest Bachan is endlessly stronger than any outsider. Folklore Due to the nature of the creatures that walk the Bachan wastes Bachan people live a life of rich folklore of ghosts and monsters that do anything from steal children to ripping out the throats of adulterous men. Because of this tales run wilder in the wastes and while many are obviously exaggerated tales of a population having fun some hold more true than you may expect. Orc Orog